pickford



l. W. PICKFORD.

MAIL ROUTING CASE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1915. PatentedAug. 5,1919- w E Law R A W 11:: L m QNH k \L 2 w%. 0W I J F WITNESSES ,UJM. & 2 I

| M 4m PLANOQRAPII (30., WASHINGTON, I). c.

I. W. PICKFORD.

MAIL ROUTING CASE.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 18, 1915.

Patented. Aug. 5; 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mm m .Nv/M m 4 4 vv ISAAC W. PICKFORD; OF-BROOKLYN, NEWYzO-RK, ASSIGNORTO BROOKLYN,

GEORGE FORD, 05E

M rRQ T NG GASE- intense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed. Ma ne, 1915. Serial m. 28,342.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ISAAC WV. PIoKroRo, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the borough ofBrooklyn, city of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Mail'Routing Cases, of which the following is a specification, ref erence being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to mail routing cases such as are employedby mail carriers or post men in post oflices in sorting the mail for their routes and making it up in bundles. In the formof routing case most commonly employed shelves are provided and the top of en ch shelf is sub-divided by means of bowed partition wires into one inch spaces forming compartments or pockets between the partition wires for the reception of the mail. Ordinarily each such routing. case contains five such shelves 0r racks arranged one above the other and each having thirtytwo mail-receiving spaces or pockets. Each carrier is given a bundle of unsorted letters for his route and he sorts these by the use of the routing case, placing each letter in its proper space or pocket on the rack, these dilferent spaces being designated by street names, numbers or the names of firms according to the requirements of his particular route. When the sorting is completed the letters have to be tied in bundles, still preserving their order or sequence assorted, and to do this the letters must beremoved separately from each space or pocket and placed on a desk or table for tying up into bundles, and this may occasion as many as one hundred and sixty separate operations in thus transferring the letters fro-mqeach pocket of the racks to the deslgthereby consuining a great deal of time. 1

An object of my invention is to provide a practical construction of routing case which the mail after it has been sorted and distributed to the racks or shelves can be gathered into bundles and tied up directly on the shelves. Another and more particular object of my invention is to provide supporting means to prevent the letters from falling over or becoming otherwise disarranged upon the shelf in the tyingup p0 sition of the parts of the routing case. More general objects of my invention are simplicity of construction,- F inexpensiveness of manufacture, durability, effectiveness of operation, and certainty ofmaintenance in operable condition. Other objjectsiand advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

invention broadly includes, in combination," meansfor supporting the mail upon a shelf in proper order and without disarrangement while permitting the mail to be gathered into a bundle. invention also includes features of construction and comb natlons of parts as will appear from the following description. I i

s'hallnow describe the several forms of mail routing caseillustrated in the accompanying drawings embodying my invention and shall thereafter point out my invention 1n claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical section from front to back of the usual desk and of a routing case thereon embodyingmy invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, showing the routing case with itspartsin positionfor sorting the mail and as appears in Fig, 1 at the two lower shelves.

3 is an enlarged horizontal section on plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig.

1 as viewed from above and shows parts of the routing case in plan in the bundle making or tying up position and partly broken away.

Fig. dis a perspective view of a portion of the movable partition. carrier with the parti' tions mounted thereon.

Figzt is a similar view of the stationary mail-receiving shelf and the backing plate therefor.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the slightly modifiedconstruction illustrated at the top shelf in Fig. 1.

-7 is a viewsimilarto Fig. 1, with parts omitted, illustrating". a modified construction with the parts in positionfor sorting the mail. i

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the parts in position for tying up the mail into bundles.

Fig, is a view similar to Fig. 1 of another modified construction.

Fig. 10-is ahorizontal section on a plane indicated by the line 10 10 of Fig. 9 as viewed from above. i

Fig. 11 is a front view with parts omitted of what appears in Figs. 9 and 1-0.

Fig. 12 isa: perspective view with parts omitted of the movable backing plate and one of its slidable supporting blocks.

Fig. 13 is a similar view'of the stationary mail-receiving shelf, its partition support and the partitions mounted thereon.

Fig. 14: is a view similar to Fig. 9 of a further modified construction of routing case.

In the complete mail routing case illustrated in Fig. 1 only four shelves are shown,

but it is understood that there could be a :wise of the shelf for the reception of the usual tying up straps 4 which are laid in the grooves, as appears .in Figs. 1 and 3, and this strap-receiving groove is sloping at the back, as shown in the drawings, so as not to catch or interfere with letters which may be pushed over the groove from front to back of the shelf in the mail distributing or sorting operation.

A stationary letter backing plate 5, which may be of suitable sheet metal, such as aluminum, is turned over atits ends upon and secured to the end uprights 2 of the case and is also secured to the rear edge of the stationary shelf 1. The backing plate 5 is provided with a series of transverse or verti- .cal slots 6 through which partition plates 7 project from the back forward over the top of the shelf 1 in close proximity thereto for dividing the top of the shelf 1 at the front of the backing plate 5 into separate mailreceiving spaces or pockets, as clearly appears in the drawings. The partition plates 7 may also be formed of: suitable sheet metal such as aluminum and at their rear ends are shown as turned over upon and secured to a transversely vertical wooden strip 8 forming a movable partition support. The lower edge of the partition supporting strip 8 is .shoiwn as secured to the rear edge of a horizontal sliding board 9 which at its ends is guided in grooves 10 in the end uprights 2 of the case and at its front edge is provided with hand holds shown as loop handles 11. The back of the case is shown as formed of woven wire or screen wire 12 and also includes wooden strengthening strips 13 shown as at the rear ends of the guide grooves 10'. The rear edge of the stationary mail-receiving shelf 1 and the stationary backing plate 5 are spaced forward from the rear of the case sufliciently to: provide for the proper at the lowermost shelf in Fig. 1.

amount of forward and backward movement of the partition support 8 and sliding board 9 which together form a partition carrier. The stationary shelf 1, together with the backing plate 5 in part supported thereby, forms an abutment for limiting the forward movement of the partition support 8, and the partition support 8 is limited in its rearward movement by one of the back strips 13 of the case.

In the forward position of the partition carrier and partitions 7 appearing in Fig. 2 and also at the two lower shelves in Fig. 1, the partitions 7 project forward across the strap-receiving groove 3 in the shelf 1 and in this position form solid partitions on the top of the shelf 1 which are of somewhat .less height and length than the letters which are to be placed in the pockets or spaces formed between the partitions 7 as is shown In this position of the parts the mail is sorted and distributed to the proper spaces according to the indications or routing directions, shown in the drawings upon the forward inclined edge of the shelf 1, this sorting and distribution being effected in the usual way. The fact that the partitions 7 are solid plates which come down close to the top of the shelf 1, precludes any possibility of small envelops slipping from one space or pocket into another. When the sorting and distributing operation is completed the slide 9 is pushed to the rear until the partition carrier 8 abuts against the rear strip 13, as ap- 100 pears in Fig. 3 and at the third shelf from the bottom in Fig. 1, and in this position of the parts the partitions 7 will project forward from the backing plate 5 sui'licicntly to hold the letters in place and prevent them from falling down, as appears in Fig. 3 at the left, and also in Fig. 1 at the third shelf from the bottom.

In this position of the parts while the letters are held in place by the forwardly projecting letter supporting ends of the partitions 7 engaging the rear ends of the letters, all the letters belonging to a bundle may be gathered together upon a shelf and the tie strap 4, which has been laid in the groove 3 15 before the beginning of the sorting operation, may be brought up around the bundle of letters and fastened. It will be noted that in pushing back the movable partition carrier from its forward position, appearing at the lowermost shelf in Fig. 1, in which the partitions 7 are fully inserted between the letters, to the rear position appearing in the third from the bottom of the racks in Fig.

1, the sorted mail upon the stationary shelf 1 is not disturbed in any manner, but the partitions 7 are merely withdrawn in a back- Ward direction from between the letters through the slots 6 in the stationary backing plate 5 until the partitions project at the a is substantially the same. i

r ef the b k ngiulete 5 n y su fici nt-1y high for conveniently tyingup the mail n, th P 5 m n, af e gath ring th letters together 011 the shelf with the tie strap around them, can lower them to the usual table ordesk 14: for securing them in a bundle. A longitudinal strap receiving groove is also shown as provided inthe upper forward surface of the table 14;, and which may be found convenient in some instances. For example, should the mail on some of thQSllGlVBSl be light, the mail from more than one shelf may be gathered together and lowered without ,straps to the table 14 over a strap in the groove ;.tl1e1?ein for tying up into a single bundle.

The slightly modified construction illustrated in perspective in Fig. 6 and in vertical transverse section at the uppermost shelf in Fig. 1, differs from the construction just described in thatfl Stationary rod 15 is provided for a backstop for .the let ters instead of the slotted backing plate 5 as above described. The ends of the backstop rod 15 are secured toithe end uprights 2 of the case, for example by inserting them therein, and the rod 15 passes through longitudinal slots 16 in partition plates 17. In other respects the construction is the same as hereinbefore described, andthe operation In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the shelf partitions 18, the construction of which per 133 may be the same as that of the partitions 7 intheflfirst described a construction, are stationary and project forward from the backuof the case where they are supported byla statlonany wooden strip 19. A slotted iletter backing plate 20 is provided similar to the vhQl'Bllflbefore described slotted lplatew5, but in ;the present instance the backing plate 20isn1ovable and is carried by a, forwardly and backwardly movable letter-receiying shelf21 which at its ends is mounted to slidein guide grooves 22, 111 theupright end-pieces 23 of the case. In this construction the partition supporting strip 19 limits the backward" movement of the shelf 21, which is limited in its forwardmovement by stop pins 24 intheend hoards-2,3, the shelf 21 being notched or slightly reduced 1n width at its ends for :the reception of these stop pins, as indicated in broken lines in Figs. 7 and 8. The shelf 21 nay be conveniently pulled forward or pushed backward by means of handles 25.- {Tllfl mail is sorted and distributed between, the partitions 18 in the rear position of the shelf 21 and ;backns pl t 2 a pp r i-Fis- 17, an i he the shelf and backing plate are drawn forward away from the stationary partitions Q18, ,as'appears iniFig. S nntil at the limit pf forward moyeinent thepartitions 18 proneat-at the IfIFQnt ofthe backing plate 20 onlysutficiently to gllOlCl the sorted mail in place; as clearly appears in ,Fig. 8. The

and ;letter back stop on the other hand, either the partitions being movable forward and backward relatively to the stationary shelf and stationary back stop for the mail as in the first described construction, or the Shelf and the back stop being movable together forward andbackward relatively to the stationary partitions as described in IGffBIBQCG tOJFIQS. 71 and 8. In the further modifications of my invention about to be ydescribed {and illustrated in Figs. 9 to 1 1 inclusiye 1 of the drawings, relative movement talres place between the back stop for the mail on the one hand and the partitions and shelfon the otherhand, there being no relative movement between the shelf and pa f it sa i a i In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 9 110 13 inclusive, a stationary mai1 receiving shelf 26 is provided which is of a width-to extend from the front to the back of the case and at the back of the case a stationary partition support 27 hassecured thete o at one y Pa ti ion 2 w e P ject forward over the shelf 26. A strapreceiring groove 29 is provided in the upper side of the shelf 26 toward its front edge but properly spaced therefrom and this grooyeQQ hasboth forwardly and backwardly inclined walls so as notto interfere with the movement of the mailin either direction over the shelf and also to provide fer the placingof route indications on the sleping rear wall of the groove, as appears in Fig. 10. A movable letter backing plate 30 is notched over the upper edges of the partitionplates 28 and at itsends is secured to slidable blocks 31 which are guided in grooves 32, forming guideways in the up right endpieces 33 of the ;case. TllGSlidableblocks 3 1 are shown as provided with handle knobs 34; and are limited in their forward movement by stop pins 35 in the end uprights 33 and-in their backward movement, are limited by the partition sup- DQ 11121 a a wMail issorted and distributed upon the shelf 26 between the partitions 28 with the movable backing plate 30 in its rearposition as shown in the upper part of Fig.3. After the mail has been iplaced in position in sorted relation on the stationary shelf 26 between the stationary partitions 28, the movable backing plate 30 is drawn forward to the position appearing in Fig. 10 and in the lowerv part of Fig. 9, and the backing plate 30 as it moves forward draws the letters forward partly from between the stationary partitions 28 and to the front of the stationary shelf 26 to a position over the strap-receiving groove 29 ready for tying up into bundles as hereinbefore described.

The one remaining modification illustrated in F igcll differs from that'last described in that the backing plate 36 is stationary, and the shelf 37, partition support 38' and partitions 39 are all movable together forward and backward relatlvely to the stationary backing plate 36, the shelf 37 being guided at its ends in grooves 40 in the end uprights 41 of the case. 'The movable shelf 37 and the partition support 38 and partitions 39 carried thereby are limited in their backward movement by the back of the case, shown as having reinforcing strips 42, and in their forward movement are limited by the stationary backing plate 36 which is secured at its ends to the uprights 4:1. For convenience of operation the slidable shelf 37 is shown'as' provided at its front edge with handles 43' In sorting the mail it is placed upon the movable shelf 37 between the movable partitions 39 at the front of the stationary backing plate 36 111 the position of the parts appearing in the upper part of Fig. l l. hen the sorting of the mail is completed the shelf 37 with the parts carried thereby including the partitions 39 is pushed to the rear to the position appearing in the lower part of F1g. 14:, and as the stationary backing 'plate 36 prevents the mail moving backward with the movable shelf 37, the mail is left in position on the shelf 37 over a strap-receiving groove 44 for tying up.

It is obvious that various modificatlons may be made in the constructions shown in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim: Y l 1. A mail routing case comprising a mailreceiving shelf, a back stop for the received upon the shelf, a series of part1t1ons dividing thetop of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, the partitions and the back stop being adapted to be moved forward or backward relatively to each other to vary-the extent of the projection of the partitions at'the frontof the back stop, and means for limitmg such relative movement to assure that the forward ends of the partitionsshall alwaysproject to mail-supporting" position at the front of the back stops i 2. Amail routiiigcase COIIlpllSIllg a'mailreceiving shelf, a series of partitions dividing .means being mounted for relative forwar and backward movement, and means assuring the forward projection of the partitions to mail-supporting position at the front of the backing means in all relative positions of the partitions and backing means.

i 3. A mail routing case comprising a mailreceiving shelf, partition plates supported at their rear ends and projecting forward over the shelf in close proximity thereto, a backplate having slots through which the partltion plates project and forming a back stop for the mail between the partition "plates, the partition plates and the backing plate being mounted for limited relative forward and backward movement between a position of full projection of the partitions for sorting the mail and a position of partial projection of the artitions for tying up the mail, and means or thus limiting such relative movement.

l. A mail routing case comprising a mailreeeiving shelf provided on its upper side with a longitudinal strap-receiving groove, a back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions for dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, the partitions and the back stop being mounted for relative forward and backward movement between a position of full projection of the partitions for sorting the mail and a position of partial projection of the partitions for tying up the mail, the relative positions of the parts at the tying up position being such that the strapreceiving groove will be beneath the mail forward from the projecting mail-supporting ends of the partitions when the mail upon the shelf is against the back stop, and means for limiting said relative movement in each direction.

5. A mail routing case comprising a mailreceiving shelf, partition plates supported at their rear ends and projecting forward over the shelf in close proximity thereto, and a backing plate extending over and downward between the partition plates in close slidable relation thereto, the partition plates and the backing plate being mounted for relative forward and backward move ment.

6. A mail routing case comprising a stationary mail-receiving shelf, a stationary back stop at the back of the shelf, a slide mounted for forward and backward movement below the shelf, a partition-support movable with the slide and mounted thereon at the back of the shelf, and partitions projecting forward from the partition-support for dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces.

7. A mail routing case comprising a mailreceiving shelf, a backing plate fixed to the shelf at the back thereof and having vertical slots therein, a partition-support at the back of the backing plate, and partition plates projecting forward from the partition-support through the slots in the backing plate, the partitioirsupport and the shelf being mounted for relative forward and backward movement.

8. A mail routing case comprising a mail receiving shelf provided on its upper side with a longitudinal strap-receiving groove, a back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions for dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, the partitions and the back stop being mounted for relative forward and backward movement between a position of full projection of the partitions for sorting the mail and a posi tion of partial projection of the partitions for tying up the mail, the relative positions of the parts at the tyingup position being such that the strap-receiving groove will be beneath the mail forward from the projecting mail-supporting ends of the partitions when the mail upon the shelf is against the back stop, and means for limiting said relative movement in each direction, the strapreceiving groove having an inclined wall so as not to interfere with the sliding move ment of mail across such groove.

9. A mail routing case comprising a mailreceiving shelf, a stationary back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions for dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, and a forwardly and backwarclly movable partition-carrier manually movable from the front of the case for concurrently moving all the partitions carried thereby forward or backward to vary the extent of the projection of the partitions at the front of the stationary back stop.

10. A mail routing case comprising a stationary mail-receiving shelf, a stationary back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions for dividing the top ofthe shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, and a slidable partition-carrier upon which the partitions are mounted for forward and backward movement to vary the extent of their projection at the front of the stationary back stop.

11. A mail routing case comprising a mail-receiving shelf, a stationary back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces and mounted for forward and backward movement in the case to vary the extent of their projection at the front of the stationary back stop, and means for limiting the movement of the partitions so as to assure that the forward ends of the partitions shall always project at the front of the back stop, for supporting the mail.

12. A mail routing case comprising a sta tionary maila'eceiving shelf, a stationary back stop for the mail received upon the shelf, a series of partitions for dividing the top of the shelf at the front of the back stop into mail-receiving spaces, a forwardly and backwardly movable partition-carrier manually movable from the front of the case for concurrently moving all the partitions carried thereby forward or backward to vary the extent of the projection of the partitions at the front of the stationary back stop, and means for limiting such movement of the partition-carrier so as to assure that the forward ends of the partitions shall always project at the front of the back stop, for supporting the mail.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC WV. PICKFORD.

Witnesses:

WM. ASHLEY KELLY, JOSEPH F. DUNN.

topics of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Iatents. Washington, D. G." 

